Police Shot During Ambush-Like Attack

Two undercover Miami-Dade County police detectives were shot Monday night in an ambush attack that left their vehicle riddled with bullet holes.

The detectives, 47-year-old Terence White and 37-year-old Charles Woods, were part of a multi-agency gang enforcement unit. According to WSVN-TV, both were inside an unmarked police SUV when they were ambushed by multiple gunmen.

One was shot in the leg, the other in the arm. Both were in stable condition and expected to survive.

White has been with the force for 26 years, and Woods for 11.

John Rivera, Miami-Dade police union president, told the Miami Herald that six men approached the detectives’ vehicle and some began firing.

“They were outnumbered and outgunned. God was watching over them tonight,’’ said

“Regardless of who they thought they were, for them to walk up to the vehicles and open fire like that is, just a clear indication of how violent, how mean and how unsafe the streets of Miami-Dade County are,” Rivera added. “The only reason those officers were not killed is because God was on their side.”

Miami-Dade police, meanwhile, have detained several individuals in connection with the shooting. One, 18-year-old Alexander Stallings, was charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted delinquent felon. The charges, however, were not directly related to the shooting.

While these were undercover detectives in an unmarked vehicle, it’s clear they were likely targeted because the assailants knew they were police. We’ve seen this over and over again these past couple of years. Fortunately, the Miami-Dade detectives appear to be OK, but many others haven’t survived.

There was, of course, the NYPD shooting that claimed the lives of two officers in December, 2014. That may be the most infamous ambush, but it’s far from the only one. And what’s responsible for this? Misplaced rage against our nation’s law enforcement, which is at an all-time high.

How many times must we report on incidents like these? How many families will have to lose their loved ones in an ambush attack simply because they were wearing a uniform?

Our thoughts and prayers are with Detectives White and Woods, as well as with their families. We can only hope that this horrific trend is abating. Sadly, we have plenty of reason to doubt it.